British and Italian press hits out a Schumacher

Only after two Grands Prix, the media has already hit out at Michael Schumacher. The seven times World Champion made a comeback with Mercedes GP after retiring from the sport in 2006, but could not please the press by finishing 6th in Bahrain and 10th in Melbourne.

'The Times' wrote: "Schumacher cut a disconsolate figure as he swept out of Albert Park, having discovered that his reputation counts for nothing among the new generation. He became almost a sad postscript …. once the greatest exponent of overtaking simply had to accept a lowly tenth place."

The same story in the other British newspaper 'The Sun': "That's not what Mercedes have paid him to come out of retirement for. At this rate, Schumacher may not see out the first season of his three-year deal."

In Italy the press was even more brutal after the German decided to return to the sport with Mercedes and not with Ferrari. One of the leading newspapers in Tifosi land 'La Stampa' wrote: "The car is not the best, but one of its drivers - the one with seven titles and earning £30 million - seems to have lost the instructions. The proof? He was overtaken by the Virgin.

"Are we confident that Michael Schumacher is really under that red helmet? Perhaps Montezemolo was right when he said it is his twin."